


When All Is Said And Done

by ilsafausts (phoenix_cry)



Category: Mission: Impossible, Mission: Impossible (Movies)
Genre: Badass Ilsa, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Family, Family Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Meet the Family, Romance, Smitten Ethan, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Tropes, Wedding Fluff, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-12
Updated: 2018-09-17
Packaged: 2019-07-11 13:32:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15973328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenix_cry/pseuds/ilsafausts
Summary: Ilsa gets an unexpected invitation to her sister's wedding. Will she have to face several days with her estranged family alone, or will she have back up?





	1. The Invitation

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even know what this fic is, you guys. I just know that I went all out on the clichés and tropes. And I mean All. Out. 
> 
> I mean it, this is everything you (n)ever wanted.
> 
> And Ilsa being awesome (which is something I can never get enough of, hence why you get this fic).
> 
> Enjoy. ;)

They had just finished their latest meeting at IMF headquarters and the door to the meeting room had just swung shut behind the Secretary, when Ilsa’s phone dinged, signaling the arrival of a new email.

Ilsa pulled her phone from her pocket and frowned. “Huh.”

“What is it?” Benji asked, curious. 

“I just got an invitation for my sister’s wedding,” Ilsa answered, seemingly unaffected, while still scanning the contents of the mail. “Which...is next week.”

“That’s...a good thing. Right?” 

Ilsa finally glanced up from her phone, eyebrow raised. “My immediate family hasn’t really spoken to me for the past five and a half years, except for the occasional generic christmas or birthday card.”

“Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. Why, though?” Benji said, and Ilsa could feel the whole team wait for her answer.

She shrugged, nonchalantly. “They don’t know exactly what I’m doing, obviously, but they do know I work for the government. Let’s just say they don’t approve. Apparently, I am ‘wasting my talents’.”

Ethan laughed at the irony. “You’re one of the most talented agents I’ve ever met, if your family only knew…” He shook his head, still chuckling. 

“Yes well, it’s not like they’re ever going to find out.”

“Which is a pity,” Luther stated.

“Well, are you going to go?” Benji asked again, still sounding way too excited at the prospect of a wedding.

“I don’t think so, no."

“What? Why not!” 

Ilsa’s other eyebrow rose as well, incredulous. “As I said, I can feel their disapproval all the way across the pond. They have barely spoken two words to me in half a decade, my sister is the golden child who can do no wrong, they will disapprove even more when I show up alone, because apparently I can’t even manage to do relationships right and am way past the age to procreate, so I will have to deal with homophobic jokes, because they’ll all just assume I’m gay and still in the closet. Which is only half-right, since I’m bi and not in the closet at all, but that’s beside the point. The point is, it’s going to be unbearable and I’d rather disarm a dozen bombs in under ten minutes and not be the afterthought to my sister’s wedding.”

Ilsa took a deep breath after she had finished her rant, and looked at her friends all staring at her in surprise. “What?” 

“I don’t think we’ve ever heard you speak this openly about anything before,” Brandt stated, a small encouraging smile on his face. 

To her mortification, Ilsa could feel her cheeks get hot and hoped it wouldn’t be too visible. “It’s not like my past is terribly interesting,” Ilsa tried to dodge, but had no luck. 

“I think all of what you just told us is terribly interesting, actually,” Ethan said, leaning back in his chair, green eyes fixed on her face. “And I think you should go, because do you really think your relationship with your family will improve if you don’t show up to your sister’s wedding?” 

Ilsa groaned in frustration and rubbed a hand over her forehead. “No, certainly not.”

“Would it help if someone went with you?” Luther asked, his tone deceptively nonchalant. 

“I don’t know. Maybe. Why?” Ilsa raised a playful eyebrow at her friend. “Are you offering to be my date, Luther?”

He chuckled. “You know I would, but I’ll be busy at my niece’s birthday next week. How about you take Ethan? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind being, erm, playing your boyfriend.”

Ilsa bit her lip to keep from smiling at his transparent attempt at subtlety and glanced over at Ethan, who was currently glaring at his oldest friend. Not sure what to make of his expression, she swallowed and let her eyes track over Benji and Brandt, who were trying hard not to cackle at their leader’s face.

Swallowing again, she decided to get out of this situation as quickly as possible. “That’s not necessary, really. I’m sure Ethan’s got better things to do than hop on a plane to England for a four day trip to hell with me.”

Ethan’s face softened as his eyes settled on hers. “I’d willingly follow you into hell any day, Ilsa.” He sighed. “So what’s a day or four spent with your family, in comparison, right? I’ll lend you back up if you’re willing to let me tag along.” 

Ilsa had a hard time getting rid of the lump that had formed in her throat. “I’d appreciate that,” she croaked and cleared her throat. “Thanks.” 

Ethan’s smile deepened. “Just let me know the details.”

Ilsa nodded and got up. “Will do. Anyway, I’m in need of some food and a good night’s sleep. I’ll see you boys tomorrow.” 

She left the room to a chorus of ‘Good nights’, and with her head spinning at the change of events.

 

*

 

That night, despite being exhausted from their latest mission, Ilsa could not fall asleep, her mind just not quieting down enough in order for her to get some rest.

Rolling onto her side and fluffing her pillow for the umpteenth time, she sighed in frustration. 

That bloody wedding was only a week away, which did not give her a lot of time to prepare, at all. What had they been thinking? Probably something along the lines of ‘Oh, we forgot about Ilsa, we should perhaps send her an invitation, too. It’s good manners, she’ll most likely not attend anyway’. 

Earlier that night, Ilsa had fretted over the RSVP, her thumb hovering over the ‘send’ button. Was she doing the right thing? Was she inviting more conflict if she were to go? It was her sister’s wedding, and despite everything, Ilsa loved her little sister. Being only two years apart, they had been inseparable while growing up. Ava had been her best friend - until Ilsa had been recruited by MI6 and left home to become a spy. At first, Ava had had her back, supporting her decision to work for the government, even if their parents had been anything but thrilled about it. Over time, however, and every time Ilsa had returned home whenever she could, her sister had become more and more cold towards her. To say that it didn’t hurt would have been a lie, so Ilsa had done the only thing she could think of to spare herself more pain - she had stopped going home. 

This visit would mark the first time back home in half a decade, and Ilsa had to admit that she was nervous. 

And then there was Ethan.

Ethan, whom she could count on to always have her back. Ethan, who was her partner and best friend. Ethan, who had just as much mental baggage as she had. Ethan, whom she had feelings for that were decidedly not platonic. Ethan, whom she was going to take to her sister’s wedding, as her date.

Ilsa groaned. This was going to end in disaster, she was sure of it. 

Rolling back over onto her back, she proceeded to stare at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to take her.

 

*

The next morning, Ilsa had just returned from her daily run and stepped out of the shower, when someone knocked on her door. Quickly donning her bathrobe, she made her way to the door and peeked through the peephole, only to see Ethan standing on the other side

Opening the door to her hotel room - she had not had time to hunt for an apartment yet - she was greeted with the scent of fresh coffee and scones wafting in from the corridor. He held up a cupholder and a paper bag from the bakery around the corner with a smile. 

“Good morning,” he greeted her and she smiled back at him. Stepping aside to let him enter, she returned his greeting. 

“Good morning. Was I expecting you?” 

He chuckled. “Not unless you can predict the future. I thought we could go over the details of our trip together, book the flight and hotel room and whatnot. I also kind of assumed you hadn’t had breakfast yet.” Putting down said breakfast onto the small table in her kitchen area, he turned back towards her with a smug grin. “Looks like I was right.” 

She glared playfully at him. “You know damn well that I never eat anything before my morning run.” 

His grin got even wider. “Yes, I do.” 

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you saying I’m predictable?” 

“Never. I just know you, Ilsa Faust.” 

She tried her best to ignore how his words made her insides flutter and just gave him another look. “Plates are above the sink. Make yourself at home, I’m going to get dressed.” 

“You don’t have to on my account,” he joked and ducked her playful swat at his shoulder. 

When she re-entered the main room, she found Ethan at the kitchen table, their breakfast ready and waiting for her. Claiming her seat opposite him, she smiled in thanks. “This is great, thank you. I would have just had a toast and a coffee on the go.” 

“I know.” He winked at her. “Me too.” 

Ilsa laughed, before taking a bite of her scone. She hummed in delight when she discovered it was still warm. “So good,” she mumbled around a mouthful, making Ethan chuckle. 

“Glad you like it. Apparently, it was a batch fresh from the oven.”

They enjoyed their breakfast together, both of them ignoring how very domestic this whole situation was.

After breakfast, they settled onto the couch, Ilsa’s laptop resting on her thighs. As soon as she had booted it up, her email signaled a new incoming mail with a ‘ping’. Ilsa huffed when she saw the sender. 

“Your sister?” Ethan asked, looking over her shoulder. 

Ilsa nodded, ignoring the warmth that spread through her when his shoulder brushed against hers. Scanning over the email quickly, she summarised out loud, “She’s ‘happy’ that I’m going to attend her wedding and she’s looking forward to seeing me and my plus one. She’s also already booked the last room in the hotel all the guests are staying in. I guess at least we don’t have to take care of that anymore.” 

“Good. Are you going to answer?”

“No, there’s no need.” Ilsa closed the email and called up the web browser. “Let’s look at flights.”

Ethan refrained from saying anything, just spread his arm across the back of the couch and nodded. 

They found a fitting flight to London soon enough and then looked at car rentals since it was still almost a two-hour drive to her hometown. Situated right by the coast, Newhaven was a small town with a population of just over ten thousand. As a teenager, Ilsa couldn’t wait to escape this small town for a life of adventure. Now, after everything she had seen and done, she sometimes wished for that quiet and simple life back. 

Shaking herself out of her reverie, she clicked on the first car rental link that came up, and within minutes, they had rented a car they were both happy with - a BMW, Ethan’s favorite. 

“Well, that’s about it,” Ilsa said and looked over at Ethan, who was still comfortably nestled against her side and whose face was a lot closer than she had thought. “Is...there anything you need to know before heading into the lion’s den?” 

Ethan smirked at her hyperbole. “Just what the color of your dress is going to be.”

Her brows furrowed. “Why?” 

“So that I can get a matching suit, of course.”

She bit her lip to keep from smiling too widely at his cheesiness. “You really don’t need to do that.”

“But I want to. It’s not every day I get to accompany you to a wedding.” The earnest look on his face almost made her melt.

“Fine. I think I’m going to wear a midnight blue dress, knee length, no sleeves, but a halter around the neck.”

He gave her an appreciative smile. “That’s going to look fantastic on you.”

“You haven’t even seen me in it yet.” 

“I hate to break it to you, Ilsa, but you could wear a garbage bag and make it look good.” 

Ilsa blushed for the second time in two days. This time, she could even feel the tips of her ears grow hot. 

“And it’s adorable when you blush,” he added and she rolled her eyes. 

“Stop it.” 

“Just telling the truth.” He shrugged. “And if you don’t believe me, ask about any other agent at IMF. They’re basically all in love with you.” 

Ilsa bit her tongue and swallowed the words that wanted to crawl up her throat. _What about you? Are you one of those agents?_  

Instead, she said, “I don’t think that will be necessary.” Closing her laptop and setting it down on the couch beside her, she got up. “We should head into work. We have a training session with the new recruits in under an hour.” 

“You’re right,” he agreed, getting up off the couch as well and making his way over to the door. “I’ll see you then?”

“Absolutely,” she said with a smile. “Thanks again for breakfast.”

“Anytime,” he grinned and a moment later, he was gone, the door closing with a click behind him. 

Ilsa sighed and pressed her forehead against the cool wood of the door, her head once again spinning, this time due to Ethan Hunt.

They had always been close, but did this closeness result simply due to a deep friendship, or possibly something more?

 _Well_ , she thought to herself, _I know at least half the answer to that. The only question that remains is, if Ethan has romantic feelings for me too._  

The next week would certainly prove to be interesting.

 

 


	2. The Trip

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your nice words about the first chapter! I'm glad you liked it so far. 
> 
> So, here...have more fluff. ;)

The flight from DC to London was over way too quickly, for Ilsa’s tastes. While Ethan had managed to catch up on some sleep during the seven-hour flight, Ilsa had fretted and worried about the upcoming days. 

About an hour before the landing, Ethan had woken up, taken one look at her and just silently taken her hand, gently coaxing her fingers to relax and stop fidgeting. 

She was never this nervous when on a mission, always keeping her cool, no matter what. Why was she so nervous about seeing her family again?

“It’s normal, you know?”

She looked over at him and raised a questioning eyebrow. “What is?”

“Being nervous about seeing your family again.”

“Is it?” She asked, not at all surprised that he could read her so easily. 

Ethan nodded. “You care about them. You care what they think about you, no matter what you keep telling yourself. So, of course, you’re nervous about what they might think, seeing you again, after such a long time.”

She just clenched her jaw and remained silent. 

“But Ilsa, I ask you to remember one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“That I’m here too, and I’ve always got your back, all right?”

Ilsa managed to give him a watery smile. “Thank you, Ethan.”

“Always.” He said and gave her hand another gentle squeeze, before leaning his head back against the seat and closing his eyes again, giving her some privacy to get her emotions under control again.

Before she knew it, they had touched down at Heathrow Airport and, after having claimed their luggage, made their way to the exit, looking for their rental company. 

Half an hour later, they were on their way, weaving in and out of rush hour traffic on a Friday afternoon. Ethan had offered to drive, but she had declined, telling him she needed to occupy her mind, even if it was with something as trivial as driving their car. 

“Tell me more about your family?” Ethan suddenly asked after they had already been on the road for a half hour. 

She glanced over at him quickly, before refocusing her eyes back to the road ahead. “What would you like to know?”

“Well, it would maybe be helpful if I knew a little bit about your parents, at least. And we should probably establish some backstory.”

Ilsa hummed thoughtfully. “We should just keep it as close to the truth as possible. Let’s say we met in London, two years ago. We were staying at the same hotel. You were there for a conference regarding traffic patterns across Europe and we were both at the hotel bar, getting a drink. We chatted for a while, but you had to leave to catch your flight.”

“Okay. What happened then?” 

Ilsa smirked at him. “We ran into each other again three months later, in Vienna, at the Opera. You offered to drive me back to my hotel and convinced me to go on a date with you the next day.”

“That works, and obviously I didn’t have to convince you very hard, because you fell for my charms the moment we met,” he joked.

“Obviously,” she agreed, tone dry as sand.

“Ouch,” he said, grabbing his chest in fake pain. 

Ilsa just rolled her eyes once more and swatted his arm, making him laugh.

“What about your parents?”

“Marianne and James Faust. They own a restaurant in town that’s doing pretty well, especially during tourist season. My sister is a chef and will take over the business when my parents retire. That’s another thing that didn’t sit well with them. That I chose to ‘abandon’ them and the family business, rather than help my sister with the restaurant, especially because they think I’m wasting my cooking skills.” Ilsa huffed an ironic laugh. “Or at the very least I could do them a favor and marry a prince. I think those are the only two options which wouldn’t have made me a disappointment to them.”

“I could do a British accent and say I’m royalty?”

Ilsa laughed. “I don’t think that’s going to work, but I appreciate the offer,  _ darling _ .”

“Anytime,  _ dear _ .”

They spent the last leg of their trip in companionable silence, at least until the town swept into sight around the last bend in the road and Ilsa took a deliberately deep breath. Ethan took her hand again in reassurance.

“It’s going to be okay. You’ll see.”

“I hope you’re right,” she sighed.

Five minutes later, Ilsa pulled into the hotel’s parking lot.

“Wow,” Ethan breathed, sounding impressed as he took in the sprawling building right on the hill in front of him, overlooking the ocean. It was painted a light grey, with white highlights, the building’s ‘tower’ being the eyecatcher of it all. It looked like someone had taken an old lighthouse, renovated it, and added a whole building to its side. 

Ilsa smiled softly at him. “Thought you might like it.”

“How can I not? It’s stunning!”

“It was renovated a few years ago, but the base structure has been like this for as long as I can remember.” Taking another deep breath, she added, “Ready?”

Ethan raised an eyebrow at her. “I should be asking you that.”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

With another deep breath, Ilsa opened the driver’s door and got out of the car, Ethan following behind her. They got out their overnight bags from the trunk and made their way into the hotel lobby.  

“Do my eyes deceive me? Or is it really Ilsa Faust, returning home from international waters?” Someone called as soon as they had stepped through the door and Ilsa followed to voice to the reception area. A grin split her face in two when she recognized one of her best childhood friends grinning back at her from behind the desk. 

“Leah!” Ilsa exclaimed and made her way over to her friend. “Come over here and let me hug you!” 

The dark-skinned young woman laughed happily and made her way around the desk with a bounce in her step to envelope Ilsa into a bear hug, her long dreads swinging merrily behind her back. 

Ilsa hugged her friend back just as tightly, suddenly realizing how much she had missed her.

“It’s so good to see you! Let me look at you,” Ilsa said, pulling back a little to get a good look. “Well, you haven’t changed at all. Still as gorgeous and spunky as the last time I saw you.”

Leah laughed and shook her head playfully. “And you’re even more stunning than I remember, it’s bloody unfair, I tell you, Faust.”

They hugged again before breaking apart, still smiling. 

“I assume you’re here for Ava’s wedding? The whole town’s been talking about it for months. It’s getting annoying, really.”

“Months, huh? I got the invite last week.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah.”

“And who’s this handsome devil, then?” Leah asked, glancing over Ilsa’s shoulder towards Ethan, who had hung back to let the friends reunite.

Ilsa bit her lip to hide a smile at her friend’s blatant approving stare. 

“This is Ethan, my partner,” Ilsa said and felt Ethan’s hand slide into hers as he came to a halt beside her. 

“Ooh, lucky you!” Leah smirked and stretched out her hand to shake Ethan’s. 

“Pleasure to meet you, Leah.” Ethan greeted, smiling at Ilsa’s friend.

“Oh trust me, honey, the pleasure’s all mine.”

Ethan laughed and Ilsa groaned. “You really haven’t changed a bit.” 

Leah shrugged, an innocent smile on her face. “You love me anyway.”

“Of course I do, you dummy,” Ilsa agreed, giving her friend’s shoulder a playful shove. 

“I can see why you like her,” Ethan stated and Ilsa gave him a look. 

“Do you two want a moment alone?” She teased.

“Nah,” Ethan said and swung an arm over her shoulders, pulling her against his side and dropping a kiss into her hair. “I’m good.”

“Aww,” Leah cooed, “you lot are adorable.”

Ilsa chuckled. “Thanks. So, how about you get us checked in and we can catch up later?”

“Abso-bloody-lutely!” Leah said, and turned on her heels to make her way back over to the reception desk, with Ilsa and Ethan following behind her, his arm still around Ilsa’s frame. Not that she minded.

Leah clicked on her mouse a couple of times before announcing, “You are in room 207. Second floor, fourth door on your left.” She put the keycard in front of them and with an over-the-top cheery voice she added, “Enjoy your stay!” 

Ilsa gave her a fake glare, and, taking the card, she said, “Asshole.”

“You love me!” Leah repeated, in a sing-song voice. 

“Yeah, yeah.” Waving at her over her shoulder, they made their way to the stairs, bags slung over their shoulders. 

“Oh, I can have some dinner send up to your room if you’re hungry!” Leah called after them and Ilsa threw her a thankful smile and nodded before they vanished up the stairs.

“That was a revelation,” Ethan said as they entered their room, and put his bag down at the foot of the large bed. 

“What was?”

“Seeing you interact with a friend who is not from work. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you quite so carefree, not even with Luther and Benji.”

“Yes, well, I’ve known Leah since we were four years old. I’m bound to act a little differently around her.”

“I like it.”

“Yeah?” Ilsa asked, glancing over at him.

“Of course. It’s nice to see you so happy and carefree, even for just a moment.”

She just gave him a smile, not quite sure how to reply to that. 

“Which side do you want?” He suddenly asked and she blinked at him. “Of the bed? Do you prefer left or right?”

“Oh. I don’t care either way, honestly. You chose.”

Ethan nodded and took a seat on the left side of the bed.

Meanwhile, Ilsa started rummaging through the contents of her bag. “Is it alright with you if I take a quick shower before dinner gets here?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

Ilsa gave him a smile and headed into the bathroom, toiletries and pajamas tucked under her arm.

When she reemerged from the shower a few minutes later, dinner had already arrived and Ethan had once again spread out their plates on the small table by the window. Ilsa knew that if it was light out, they could see the ocean spread out before them. If she listened carefully, she could hear the waves crashing against the beach.

“If this tastes as good as it smells, we’re in for a treat,” Ethan stated as she made her way over to him, clad in pajama shorts and a tank top, her hair resting in damp curls on her shoulders.

Ilsa took a deep breath and had to admit that the salmon and pasta really smelled heavenly. Her stomach growled and they both chuckled. 

“We better dig in, before you starve to death right before my eyes,” he joked as she took a seat opposite him. 

“I won’t argue with that,” she said and took a bite. She hummed and closed her eyes, as her tastebuds exploded with pure delight. 

Ethan watched her, his fork frozen halfway to his mouth. 

“This is fantastic,” she moaned and took another bite. 

He hurriedly followed her example when her eyes opened and focused on him.

A slight smile tugged at her lips, and he cursed inwardly. Of course, she would know he had been staring at her.

They chatted idly while enjoying their meal, all the while catching themselves yawning from time to time as the long day and the jetlag caught up with them. 

“I’ll hop into the shower too, you don’t need to wait up for me.” He said after they had finished their dinner and Ilsa nodded. 

“Let me just brush my teeth real quick and the shower’s all yours.”

He made an inviting gesture towards the bathroom and she curtsied playfully in response, making him laugh.

Two minutes later, she was crawling into bed with a sigh, enjoying the soft pillows and linens against her skin. 

She hardly noticed when Ethan slipped into bed beside her a few minutes later, already drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

 

 


	3. The Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm a bit nervous about posting this chapter, because there are things happening that would never ever happen in canon or anywhere else, but....this is my fanfic and I can do whatever I want :P
> 
> Let's meet Ilsa's family, shall we? 
> 
> Enjoy!

Despite the previous day’s travel and the jetlag, both of which Ilsa was used to, she woke up early the next morning, the sun just beginning to rise over the horizon.

As happened from time to time, whenever they had to share a room on a mission, Ethan had rolled over and had pulled her against his chest during the night. He was still asleep, breathing deeply and evenly, his breath puffing against the back of her neck. Ilsa couldn’t help but smile slightly. A few months ago, she would never have thought Ethan Hunt to be a cuddler. To say she had been pleasantly surprised the first time it had happened would have been an understatement. 

Closing her eyes again for another few moments, she just enjoyed his warmth at her back and the weight of his arm wrapped around her waist. He would wake up soon enough, and as always, pull back from her gently, as soon as he would realize what he was doing. She never stopped him, no matter how much she wanted to.

As predicted, he began to stir a few minutes later, his fingers twitching where they rested against her stomach and his breathing pattern changing to something more shallow.

A moment later, his arm slipped from around her waist and he pulled away.

Ilsa ignored the pang she felt in her chest, just like she always did.

“Good morning,” he mumbled, his voice still rough with sleep.

“Good morning,” she whispered and turned over to face him. He was rubbing the sleep from his eyes, his hair sticking up adorably. Ilsa smiled. “Did you sleep well?”

He nodded and yawned. “You?”

“I did, thanks. Would you like to join me for my morning run?”

He nodded again and rolled over to swing his legs over the edge of the bed, stretching his muscles to shake off the sleep. Ilsa followed suit on her own side of the bed. 

With their backs to each other, they got dressed in their running gear and were out the door before the sun was fully up. 

Ilsa took them on a route along the ocean and around the outskirts of town, giving him an impression of where she had grown up. The streets were still mostly deserted on this early September morning, and Ilsa was thankful for it, not yet ready to run into any more figures from her past. Leah had been one thing, but she wasn’t too wild about running into Mrs. Wellington, the old lady who had always tried to set her up with her grandson, no matter how many times Ilsa had told her she wasn’t interested.

When they returned to the hotel about an hour later, some of the other guests were already up as well, and on their way to breakfast in the hotel’s dining room.

Leah was back at her station as well, having switched with the night shift once more. “Sweaty is a good look on you both,” she called over to them, making a passing couple give them confused glances. 

Ilsa waved at her with a grin. “Good morning to you, too!” 

“Who needs small talk when I’ve got the both of you looking like this, traipsing across my lobby. I think _ I _ need a cold shower now, and I wasn’t even out exercising,” Leah sassed, giving them a deliberate once-over and fanning herself with a fake swoon.

“Your bisexuality is showing, baby.”

“You’re one to talk!”

Ilsa blew her a kiss, laughing, while Ethan just grinned and shook his head at their antics. 

They made their way up to their room, and, being a gentleman, Ethan let Ilsa use the shower first. 

Within twenty minutes, they were joining the other guests down in the dining room, enjoying a hearty breakfast.

They were just finishing up when Ilsa’s phone buzzed with a new text message. 

“It’s from my sister,” she said, reading it over quickly. “Asking if we’re going to join her and the rest of the family for lunch at the restaurant today and a get together after.” She glanced up to glean his reaction. His expression didn’t change, he just gave her a supportive nod and a small smile, letting her know that he was alright with it and that it ultimately was her decision.

“Better get it over with as soon as possible, I guess,” she sighed and typed a quick reply.

Ethan leaned forward and whispered, “You took down a network of rogue spies. You can do this, you’re a badass.”

Ilsa snorted. “I’d rather do that again, you know.”

“I know. That’s how badass you are.”

Ilsa just gave him a look. He grinned at her and took another sip of his coffee.

 

*

 

As with everything else these past two days, lunchtime got there much too quickly for her taste and before she knew it, they were standing in front of her parent’s restaurant.

Without a word, Ethan took her hand once more, silently giving her all the support she needed. 

They shared a look and a nod and together they stepped through the doors. 

The interior was homey, but still offered a vague sense of poshness. Ethan had to admit he liked the mix. 

As soon as the door had opened, all eyes had turned towards them and it had grown considerably quieter inside the restaurant. 

“Hello everybody,” Ilsa offered, after an awkward silence. “Please, don’t greet us all at once!” There was only a slight amount of sarcasm ringing in her voice, of which Ethan was quite proud.

“It’s great to see you, big cousin!” A young man suddenly called, having apparently just returned from the restroom. Ethan watched as Ilsa’s fake smile turned into a genuine one upon seeing her cousin. 

“Brian!” She exclaimed, just as he enveloped her in a hug. 

“So good to see you, Ilsa!” He said again, and then gasped, “And, damn, you’re strong!” 

“Sorry,” Ilsa said and refrained from hugging him again. “Look at you, you’ve grown so much since the last time I saw you.” She playfully squeezed his cheeks like one would with a small child and Brian softly swatted at her hands, laughing. 

“Where’s Aunt Lilly?”

“Mum couldn’t make it for lunch, but she’ll be joining us later, don’t worry. She’s looking forward to seeing you!”

“So am I,” Ilsa answered with a small smile, before half turning towards Ethan. 

“Ethan, this is my younger cousin, Brian. Brian, this is my partner Ethan,” she introduced the two men, who proceeded to shake hands. 

“Good to meet you!”

“You, too!”

Ethan took in the younger man’s appearance and he could make out a passing resemblance to Ilsa. The same auburn hair, cropped short, the same nose. His eyes were a striking green, however, instead of Ilsa’s intense blue.

“Ilsa, darling, so glad you could make it!” A female voice interrupted their greeting a moment later, and they all looked over to an older woman, around sixty, make their way over to them, followed by a man of about the same age, as well as a young woman around Ilsa’s age.

Ethan assumed those were her infamous parents and sister.

A second later, he got the confirmation when she said, “Mum, dad, Ava, good to see you.” She hugged each of them quickly, but without any of the warmth she had just shown her cousin.

“We weren’t sure you would come,” her mother said.

“Well, you didn’t exactly give me a lot of time to prepare, but here I am.” 

Even Ethan had a hard time not to wince at her tone.

“Oh, don’t be like that, Ilsa, it’s your sister’s wedding!”

“Not yet, it isn’t,” he heard her mumble under her breath before a, what Ethan could tell was a fake smile, settled on her lips. Out of the corner of his eyes, he could see Brian bite back a smirk.

Ilsa once again turned towards him, repeating the introductions.

“Everyone, this is Ethan Hunt, my partner. Ethan, these are my parents, Marianne and James Faust, and my sister Ava.”

Ethan shook their hands as well, a friendly smile on his face.

James Faust gave him a long once-over, before turning to his daughter. “You were always dating older men. Some things apparently never change.”

“Dad!” Ava hissed at her father, a mortified look taking over her face. 

“What? It’s true!” Her father said, not sounding remorseful at all.

Beside him, he could see Ilsa’s teeth clench. He knew without looking that her hands were balled into fists at her sides.

“Let’s go say hi to grandma and grandpa, Ilsa!” Brian exclaimed suddenly, trying to break the tense silence, for which Ethan was thankful.

They both followed after him, Ilsa not sparing another look at her parents as she went. 

Ethan subtly caressed her hand that was still clenched in a tight fist, silently asking her to relax. She let out a quiet breath and slowly unclenched her fingers, giving him a small, apologetic smile. Her pinky finger caught his for a second, giving it a thankful little tug. 

“Well, the prodigal granddaughter returns!” An older man, who looked to be in his early-eighties, called as they had almost reached the huge table where the rest of the family was gathered. 

Ilsa chuckled, her shoulders relaxing slightly. “Hello, granddad, grandma,” she said and gave her grandparents a tight hug. 

“Let me look at you!” Her grandma exclaimed, her hands resting on Ilsa’s shoulders, sharp blue eyes flitting over her granddaughter’s form. “You’re still too thin, Ilsa, dear! But you’ve grown into an even more beautiful woman than the last time I saw you. Way too long ago!” Her grandmother threw her a look, and Ilsa winced. 

“Sorry, grandma. I’ve missed you, too.”

“And don’t listen to your father! He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” Her granddad joined in, throwing his son a scathing look over Ilsa’s shoulder. He then reached out a hand to shake Ethan’s. 

“Welcome to the family, son! You must have the potential to stick around if our Ilsa decided to bring you along to meet the wolves.”

Ethan laughed. “Thank you, sir! I’ve got some experience dealing with wolves, so she knew I’d be fine.”

It was her grandfather’s turn to laugh. “Oh, I like you already!” He winked at his granddaughter. “Well done, dear.”

Ilsa grinned and shrugged. “Thanks.” 

After that, they found their seats and conversation started flowing more easily, although Ilsa still did not pay much attention to her parents, deciding it better to ignore them for now, rather than risk another argument. 

They shortly spoke with Ava’s soon-to-be husband, Jeremy, who owned a catering service and that was how they had met, four years ago, he told them. He seemed nice enough, Ilsa decided, and he seemed to adore her sister, which was the real selling point.

During lunch, they chatted with Brian, who Ethan found out had just turned twenty-five and was studying to become a doctor. He was living in London with his boyfriend, a fact not known to Ilsa’s parents, which Ilsa could relate to. 

“Enough about me!” Brian suddenly exclaimed. “Tell me about how you two met! I reckon that’s gonna be way more interesting than stories about my student life!”

Half the table suddenly fell suspiciously silent, and Ilsa sighed. She began spinning the cover story they had come up with, embellishing certain details easily enough while skipping over some altogether.

“And then, three months later, we ran into each other again in Vienna. We were both there to visit the Opera.  _ Turandot _ was playing. It ended up to be quite...explosive.”

Brian gasped. “Don’t tell me you were there when the Austrian chancellor was assassinated?”

Ethan and Ilsa shared a look. “Unfortunately, we were,” Ethan admitted. 

“Bloody hell!” Brian whispered. 

“Well, it’s not like we actually saw anything.” Ilsa hastened to reassure her cousin. “We were still inside the building when it happened. In the resulting chaos, Ethan offered to drive me back to my hotel. He also chose that moment to ask me out on a date,” Ilsa laughed, raising an eyebrow at her partner’s perceived bad timing.

Ethan just shrugged. “Hey, I had to take my chances. I wasn’t gonna let you slip through my fingers again. I mean, what would be the chances of actually running into each other a third time?”

Ilsa looked at him and smiled. “You always had a knack for finding me.”

Ethan’s arm wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her slightly against him so that he could drop a kiss against her forehead. “Count on it,” he murmured against her skin, and Ilsa suddenly desperately wished that she could kiss him. 

“That’s so romantic!” Ava sighed from across the table, reminding them that they weren’t alone and that they indeed had an audience. It was also the first thing her sister had said to either of them since they had got here.

Ilsa cleared her throat. “Anyway, we went on that date and realized we get along pretty well, so we decided to give this whole relationship thing a shot. And that was almost two years ago.”

“How does that work, exactly?” James asked, sounding slightly annoyed. “Since you probably can’t tell him about what you do for a living, any more than us.”

“James, don’t start,” his mother admonished him at once. 

“I know that Ilsa is very, very good at her job,” Ethan said, pride in his voice. He turned to face Ilsa’s father, locking eyes with him. “I know that she helps people and that she’s doing her best to make the world a safer place. I know that I can sleep soundly at night, knowing she’s out there doing what she’s doing. I know that it fills her with a sense of purpose. And as long as she always returns to me safe and sound that’s all I need to know.” 

Before anybody could reply to that, the restaurant’s door opened again and a slim, brunette middle-aged woman walked in. Ethan saw Ilsa’s eyes light up and she moved from her seat to greet the newcomer.

The older woman beamed when she spotted Ilsa and opened her arms to envelope her in a hug. “Welcome home, Ilsa,” she said, her voice warm and soft.

“Thanks, Aunt Lilly,” Ilsa replied, hugging her even tighter for a long moment, before releasing her. Her aunt’s hands cupped her face gently for a second, giving Ilsa another happy smile. The two women then moved over to the table, where Lilly greeted the rest of the family, giving her son a hug, before turning to the new face at the table.

“You must be Ilsa’s boyfriend. I’m her favorite aunt, Lilly,” she said with a wink in Ilsa’s direction.

Ethan stood to shake her hand and introduce himself. “Ethan Hunt, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Lilly.”

“Pleasure is all mine, Ethan. I must say it is nice to finally meet one of Ilsa’s...partners. She’s always been a bit hesitant about bringing them around. You must be special.”

Ilsa just rolled her eyes at the gentle dig. She retook her seat and joked, “Careful, Aunt Lilly, his ego’s already big enough, no need to boost it any further.”

“Ouch,” Ethan joked back and sat back down as well, watching as Lilly laughed and rounded the table to sit beside her son. 

Eventually, the whole group moved outside to the patio to enjoy the exceptionally warm September afternoon. 

A few other guests were doing the same thing, soaking in the sunlight with a good cup of coffee or a pint of beer. 

A group of three men was sitting at a table in the center of the patio and something was tugging on Ilsa’s mind as her eyes passed over them. One of the men looked familiar, but she could not put her finger on it at first until he turned his head a little further in her direction. 

“Shit,” she muttered and subtly but quickly moved so that her back was facing his way. 

“What is it?” Ethan murmured under his breath, becoming alert at once.

“My six o’clock, black hair, red shirt. He was one of the doctors who checked up on me in Kashmir.”

“Shit. You think he’ll remember you?”

“Probably.”

Before they could come up with a plan, Ilsa’s grandmother called for her. “Ilsa, dear, come sit with me, I want to hear more about what you have been up to.”

The doctor’s head turned to see who the request had been intended for, and Ethan could see his eyebrows furrow in thought as his eyes tracked Ilsa’s form as she made her across the patio, trying to keep her face turned away from him as best she could. Ethan cursed as recognition settled on the young doctor’s face, despite her best efforts.

He excused himself to his friends and got up just as Ilsa sat down beside her grandmother. Ethan threw her a warning look, knowing there was nothing he could do to interfere and had no choice but to wait for disaster to strike. He made it to the table just as the doctor came to a halt beside Ilsa’s chair. 

Ethan saw her shoulders tense slightly, unnoticeable to anyone but him.

“Agent Faust?” He heard the young man say and winced inwardly. “Hi, wow, this is a coincidence! I don’t know if you remember me, we met in Kashmir a few months ago!” 

Ilsa finally turned to face him with a friendly smile, no trace of any tension on her face, mask firmly in place. “Doctor Jefferson, right?”

“Yes! The world really is a small place! I’m on vacation with my friends and here you are! How is your neck? Those rope marks looked pretty severe.”

“Good as new,” Ilsa promised. “You took good care of me, doctor.”

“Oh, it’s Mark, please.”

Ethan swore he could see literal hearts in the young man’s eyes and groaned inwardly. Of course, he would have a crush on Ilsa. Not that he could blame him.

Before Ilsa could say anything, he blurted out, “Also I don’t think I’ve actually thanked you before for literally saving all our lives back in Kashmir. Word kind of got around that it was a pretty close call with the bombs and such.”

The sound of glass breaking on the ground made Doctor Jefferson jump and Ilsa wince. 

“Ilsa,” her grandmother asked, voice shaking slightly, her glass of water lying in scattered shards by her feet, “what is that young man talking about? What were you doing in Kashmir of all places? Why did he call you ‘Agent Faust’? And what is that I hear about rope marks around your throat and...bombs?”

Jefferson’s eyes widened and he looked towards Ilsa, like a deer caught in headlights. “I...I’m sorry, I didn’t know that it was…a secret.”

“It’s alright, Mark,” Ilsa said, voice soft and reassuring. “But if you would please excuse us? I think I have some explaining to do. Enjoy your vacation.”

Mark nodded and stuttered another apology, before fleeing back to his own table.

Ilsa sighed deeply and closed her eyes for a second to center herself before turning to face her family.

“Simply put, it’s all part of my job. I told you I travel a lot and that it never gets dull or repetitive.”

“You’re a spy, aren’t you?” Brian asked, quick to catch on, and sounding way too excited at the prospect of his cousin being a super spy. 

Ilsa locked eyes with Ethan for a split second and he gave her a barely noticeable nod. 

She turned to face her little cousin and without blinking said, “Yes.” She had been okay with omitting some details and being vague about the truth, but she wasn’t willing to lie her family right in the face. Not anymore. 

Brian’s face split into a grin while his mother’s lost all of its remaining color. “That is  _ so cool _ !” He said, barely managing to stay still in his seat. 

Ilsa chuckled at her cousin’s behavior, thankful for his positive response. She then turned to look at the rest of her family and their shocked faces. Taking another deep breath, she set out to explain and reassure them as much as she could, all the while feeling Ethan’s reassuring and supportive hand resting on her back. 

 

*

 

“That went well,” Ethan quipped as they entered their hotel room later that day.

“As well as a train wreck can go, yes,” Ilsa sighed, exhausted, and let herself fall back onto the bed. 

“At least they now know that you’re a ‘certified badass’, to quote your cousin. Brian seemed to love the whole thing. I’m pretty sure he’s got a serious case of hero worship going for you right now.”

“I’m not sure if that makes me feel any better,” she groaned. 

Ethan sat down beside her and rested his palm on her knee, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “The others will come around. Just give them some time. It’s not every day you learn that you’ve got a secret agent in your family.”

“I just hope they won’t get into trouble because of me now.”

“They’re all smart people. They know to keep quiet about this.”

Ilsa nodded, hoping he was right.

Ethan saw guilt and doubt warring on her face and moved to lie down beside her. “Come here,” he murmured and she moved to rest her head on his chest. His arm wrapped around her shoulders to pull her against his side, while her fingers idly played with the buttons on his shirt.

“I think part of their cool attitude towards you over the last few years was because they felt you were hiding part of your life from them and that you didn’t trust them with the truth. That’s why they resented your choice to work for the government. Now that they know, they’ll come around soon enough, you’ll see. They will always be worried about you, but they know how strong and smart and resilient you are. They’ll be okay because they know  _ you _ will be.”

Ilsa remained quiet for a while longer, taking in his words. Eventually, she released a long breath, the warmth of it sweeping over his chest. “Thank you,” she whispered, voice raspy with emotions.

He just hugged her a little tighter in answer.

They remained like that for a while longer, comfortable in each other’s presence, until a soft buzz interrupted the tranquility. 

Ilsa huffed and shuffled further into him to be able to reach into her back pocket. Pulling out her phone, she lit up the screen and saw a message from her sister waiting for her on the lock-screen.

_ Can you teach me some self-defense moves? _

Ilsa laughed, the sound happy and light. Things really were going to be okay.

 

 


	4. The Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter, you guys! Thanks for sticking with me. Enjoy :)
> 
> Here's a look at Ilsa's dress: https://imgur.com/6DIVgGD

The next day, they got ready for the wedding ceremony, which was set to being at three o’clock. Ilsa was doing her hair and putting on a light make-up, while Ethan shaved off the previous day’s stubble next to her at the bathroom sink. Whenever their eyes met in the mirror, they had to grin at the absurd domesticity of it all. 

When Ethan was done with his shave, he made quick work of styling his hair and then proceeded to watch Ilsa getting ready. She raised an eyebrow at his interest but didn’t stop him from watching as she brushed mascara onto her eyelashes, added a light dusting of rouge to her cheeks and a dark red layer of lipstick to her lips. 

“Do you like the color?” she asked and turned to face him, puckering her lips playfully.

He swallowed and nodded, entranced. “It’s a very...tempting color on you.”

“Tempting, hm?”

“Yes,” he rasped, eyes still fixed on her lips.

“That’s good to know,” she said and turned back to the mirror to fix a strand of hair that had slipped out of the loose bun at the nape of her neck. 

“Tease.” He chuckled when she just threw him a mischievous grin. 

“Would you hand me the necklace in that small box over there?” She asked, pointing to a small wooden box to his right. He reached over and opened the box, finding a fine gold necklace, adorned with several small stars inlaid with diamonds inside. 

“This is gorgeous,” Ethan stated, laying it across his palm to get a better look at the glittering stars. 

“My grandparents gave it to me as a good luck charm when I moved away from here. So that, whenever I looked up at the stars, I’d remember my family and eventually find my way back home.”

“They really love you.”

Ilsa nodded. “I’m lucky to have them.”

“Allow me,” Ethan said and stepped behind her, meeting her eyes in the mirror once more, silently asking for permission. Ilsa nodded slightly and he reached around her to settle the delicate chain around her neck, the little stars sparkling where they rested against the dark blue fabric of her dress. He gently closed the clasp and let his fingertips trail over the thin chain and the soft skin underneath. He looked back up to find her eyes already fixed on him in the mirror, an intensity in her eyes he couldn’t place. 

“Thanks,” she whispered and he smiled at her, letting his hands settle on her shoulders for a moment. His thumbs caressed over her shoulder blades mindlessly, the cut of the dress leaving her shoulders bare, and Ilsa shivered slightly at the contact. Ethan stepped even closer until his chest brushed against her back, their eyes remaining locked until Ilsa’s eyes fluttered closed and she leaned back against his solid chest with a soft sigh. Ethan was sure she could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest. She turned her head slightly, causing his lips to brush very lightly against her temple. His own eyes fell shut and he breathed in her scent, a mixture of her perfume and shampoo making his head spin pleasantly. 

Ethan could feel her shoulder blades shift a little under his thumbs as she slowly turned around to face him. Her hands settled against his chest, which was covered in a crisp, white dress shirt. Ilsa’s eyes were still closed and he could tell she was concentrating on the feeling of his shirt and the heat of his body against her fingertips. His own hands were busy stroking up and down her arms, tanned and muscular, and he couldn’t get enough of having her so close. He tilted his head a little to lean his forehead against hers. 

“Ethan,” she started, her voice barely a whisper. An untimely knock at their hotel room door, however, prevented him from learning what she had wanted to say, and he cursed inwardly as she slipped from his arms with a regretful sigh, to open the door.

He heard Leah’s voice filter inside and went to greet her, shaking off his frustration at the interruption. 

“Your aunt just dropped this off for you at the desk and asked me to give it to you.” He heard her tell Ilsa and saw her hand over another small jewelry box. 

“What’s this?”

“How am I supposed to know? Do I look like Supergirl?” Leah asked, an eyebrow raised at her friend’s question. Ilsa gave her shoulder a shove. 

“You usually can’t stop yourself from snooping through my stuff. Don’t tell me that’s changed.”

“Oy, okay. I could tell you, but you could also just open it and see for yourself. Hello, Ethan,” she greeted him in one breath when she saw him step out of the bathroom. “Looking fine there, handsome.”

Ethan laughed. “Thanks, Leah, you look very nice too,” he said, motioning at the black slacks and red blouse she was wearing. “You’re going to the wedding as well, right?”

“Of course I am, I’ve known Ava almost as long as I’ve known this one here,” she confirmed, winking at Ilsa, who was in the process of fiddling with box’s clasp. 

“Oh,” Ilsa breathed when the lid of the box opened and a matching bracelet to her necklace came into view. Ilsa turned to him and he wordlessly stepped forward at once. Taking the box from her, he lifted the jewelry out of it carefully. She held out her right wrist to him and he gently fastened the bracelet around it, before grasping her hand and pressing a gentle kiss to her knuckles. 

“There. Perfect,” he murmured, eyes fixed on hers. 

“How can anybody stand to be in the same room with you? The sexual tension is killing me!” Leah exclaimed from where she was still standing beside them. “Ooh, the sex must be electric. I’m so jealous.”

Ilsa and Ethan shared a look, which Leah happened to interpret almost perfectly. 

“Oh my God! Did I interrupt sexytimes? I’m terribly sorry, but you can also thank me because you’d  _ so _ be too late for your sister’s wedding if I hadn’t interrupted, that’s for sure! And on that note, we need to go, chop chop!”

“I need to grab my shoes, hang on,” Ilsa said, and hurried over to the closet to grab a pair of black pumps. Ethan was shrugging into his dark blue suit jacket, which matched his pants, as well as her dress. He then turned to get her coat off the rack behind him, holding it out for her to shrug into. She smiled at him in thanks and slipped into her coat before she gripped his arm for balance to slip into her shoes. Lastly, she took her clutch from where she had put it by the door and they all filtered out into the corridor. 

They arrived at the church exactly eight minutes later, with sixteen minutes to spare before the ceremony started. The bride and groom couldn’t have chosen a better day to get married - there was hardly a cloud in the blue sky, the comfortably warm sun illuminating the already colorful leaves of the trees in the churchyard and setting them aflame. 

Most of the wedding guests were already inside the church, a few were still scattered out in the yard, catching up with one another and enjoying the sunshine. 

“There they are!” Someone called and they all looked over to their left, where Lilly and Brian were waving at them. The three of them made their way over to Ilsa’s aunt and cousin, the latter of which called to them as soon as they were in earshot. “Are those your abs?!” Brian was staring at Ilsa’s stomach with wide eyes. She looked confused for a quick second before she laughed loudly. “Yes.”

“Damn,” he breathed, still staring at where her abdominal muscles were outlined behind the fabric of her tight fitting, knee-length dress. Beside him, Leah nodded in agreement.

“It’s rude to stare, Brian. I have taught you better than that,” his mother admonished, but having to bite back a smile herself. 

“I am in awe, alright? My big cousin is a badass!”

Ilsa just rolled her eyes at him and locked her arm with his, giving him a slight tug. “Let’s go inside before this badass is responsible for all of us being late to the wedding. I’ll never hear the end of it.”

They all chuckled and made their way into the church, Ethan, Leah, and Lilly following behind the other two. They made their way up the aisle, to take a seat at one of the benches further to the front. 

Ilsa’s mother and grandparents were sitting in the front row on the left, the groom’s family on the opposite side. They all greeted each other quietly, with a smile and a nod, mostly, before they all continued chatting softly with their seat neighbors. 

The talking ceased, however, when the church bells started tolling, and the wedding procession filtered in. Her sister looked beautiful, in a long, white flowing dress, escorted on their father’s arm. She was glowing with happiness, and even more so when she spotted her groom standing before the altar, staring at her with watery eyes and a wobbly smile. 

Halfway through the ceremony, Ethan took Ilsa’s hand and laced their fingers together, seemingly without conscious thought, and her heart skipped a beat. She had no idea if half the things he did were for show, or not. Although nobody was looking in their direction at the moment, so there was no need for any acts. Ilsa’s mind was reeling again and she could barely concentrate on the vows the bride and groom were currently exchanging. His thumb stroked across her knuckles and Ilsa took a shallow, slightly shaky breath. 

Ethan turned his head towards her. “You okay?” He whispered and she nodded, not trusting her voice. His eyes remained on her profile for a moment longer, before he turned back to face the bride and groom. 

The rest of the ceremony passed in a blur for Ilsa, and before she knew it, they had all gathered outside to cheer for the newlyweds as they left the church.

The next half hour was spent with laughter and congratulations and champagne until the wedding procession made their way to the location they had booked for the event. It was an old farmhouse that had been converted and renovated for just such occasions, and as such offered more than enough space for all the guests. 

It had been tastefully decorated with white drapes hanging from the high wooden beams, and lanterns and fairy lights weaved in between.

Ethan and Ilsa went to find their seats - at a table with some of the bride and groom’s friends, Ilsa noted with a wry shake of her head - and waited for the other guests to finish filtering inside. 

Once every table was filled and all the introductions were done away with, waiters appeared to ask for their drink of choice before dinner was served. Ilsa and Ethan both chose a half-dry white wine, to go with their fish, potatoes, and vegetables later on. 

They both fell into easy conversation with the rest of their table until dinner was served and everyone turned to enjoy their meal.

After dinner, the newlyweds opened up the dancefloor with their wedding dance, and soon enough, more couples started to join them. 

Ethan subtly observed how a young man at the bar - reddish-brown hair, green eyes, square jaw, maybe thirty years old - kept glancing in Ilsa’s direction, his eyes moving over her form time and time again. Ethan leaned over to whisper in her ear, “You’ve got an admirer. Over at the bar. I’m pretty sure he’s gonna try his move any moment now, so unless you want to dance with him, how about you join me on the dancefloor instead?” 

Ilsa’s eyes moved, barely noticeable, to glance in the direction Ethan had indicated and sighed. 

“I’m pretty sure that’s one of Jeremy’s friends. David, maybe?” She turned to look at her partner. “Take me to the dancefloor, darling.”

“With pleasure,” he grinned, stood, and held out his hand for her to take. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw David frown.

Ethan led Ilsa onto the dance floor and pulled her into his arms gently, his left hand finding its home at the small of her back, while his right held hers to his chest. Her free hand curled around his neck, their bodies brushing as they swayed along to the slow song.

He rested his cheek against her temple and heard her sigh again, this time in contentment instead of frustration or annoyance. 

They remained like this, softly swaying in synch with each other until the song ended and the next ballad started. Then, Ilsa pulled away slightly so that she could meet his eyes. 

She bit her lip and mustered him for a second before she asked, “What are we doing, Ethan?” Before he could say anything, she added, “And don’t say ‘dancing’.”

“I wasn’t going to!” He claimed, and she just raised a knowing eyebrow. “Fine,” he jokingly admitted his defeat, before he turned serious. “I guess it’s time for that talk we’ve been putting off, mh?”

“I guess so, yes. What better time than at a wedding, right?”

Ethan chuckled. “No better time at all.” His hand released hers for a moment to brush a strand of hair out of her face and Ilsa bit her lower lip again. His eyes zeroed in on ruby-red lips once more and he groaned. “Yeah, no better time, indeed,” he said, mainly to himself, before he wrenched his eyes away from the temptation of her mouth and focused on her eyes again. “The way I see it, there are two options, Ilsa,” he finally started, voice soft, for her ears only. “We agree that this is all just like any other undercover mission, where we pretend to be a couple and then continue to be friends once it’s done. Or, we finally stop being fools and admit that we have feelings for each other, in which case, I were to kiss you right now like I’ve been wanting to do for months,” Ethan concluded and waited with bated breath for her answer. 

He didn’t have to wait long, because he had barely finished speaking when a small smile was already beginning to spread across her lips and she started nodding. “Option two sounds perfect. Let’s go with option two.”

“Oh, thank God,” he breathed, and met her halfway in a kiss that was at once soft and at the same time underlined with a desperate longing. They both remained conscious of the fact that they were surrounded by other people, even if most of them were sharing affections with each other too, yet they wanted nothing more than to deepen the kiss. Ethan’s palms cupped her cheeks, his thumbs stroking along her cheekbones, while his lips and tongue danced with hers. Ilsa sighed into his mouth and pressed closer against him slightly, her hands settling against his back. All the while, they continued to sway to the music, lost in their own little world, even if just for a small moment in time. 

Someone accidentally bumped into Ilsa from behind, causing their mouths to dislodge and the two of them to laugh quietly, exhilarated at finally being able to actually get to show their feelings openly, without it being just for show. She pressed another quick kiss to his lips and then swiped a thumb against his lips with a grin, a smudge of her lipstick proof that the last few minutes really had happened. With a happy sigh, she eventually rested her head against his shoulder, while they fell back into their earlier position, with her hand enveloped in his, held to his chest.

“Would it be terribly rude to leave already?” Ethan murmured into her ear and she laughed again, her breath puffing against his neck. 

“Unfortunately, yes.” 

“I was afraid you’d say that.”

“All the more to look forward to later?” Ilsa suggested with a smirk and he groaned quietly, the sound sending shivers down her back. 

They remained on the dance floor for two more songs, before they decided to go refresh their drinks and rest their feet for a little while. Moving to the bar, they both ordered another glass of wine. Taking a seat at the high chairs at the bar, they turned to watch the other guests, laughing as Brian danced with their grandmother, carefully leading her around the dancefloor. Ilsa smiled, content, as she watched both of them giggle in delight. 

The bartender set their drinks in front of them and they nodded at him in thanks, raising their glasses to take a sip of the chilled liquid. 

A moment later, Leah appeared by their sides, an empty glass in hand. “Hello, you gorgeous people,” she greeted with a grin and a wink. “Enjoying yourselves?” 

Ilsa didn’t rise to the bait, knowing Leah had seen their earlier kiss and was dying to tease her. 

“Absolutely. What about you?”

“Absolutely, although not as much as you, I’d reckon. Would you mind terribly if I borrowed your beau for a hot second to let him swing me around the dancefloor?”

Ilsa shared a quick look with Ethan, who didn’t seem to mind.

Turning back to Leah, she gestured towards the other dancers. “Have at it. Just try to bring him back safe and sound, I’ve still got plans for him.”

Leah giggled. “Oh, I bet you do, sweetie.”

Ilsa watched as Leah grabbed Ethan’s hand and pulled him into the middle of the dancefloor. Reaching for her glass of wine, she leaned back and enjoyed the show. Ethan was a great dancer, after all, and it was a joy to watch him. 

A few minutes later, her grandparents, parents, aunt, and cousin joined her at the bar. 

“Ilsa, dear,” her grandma started and grabbed her hand gently, as Ilsa moved to help her onto a chair. “I’m sorry they had to seat you so far away. Apparently, there was just no way to fit you at the table with us.” Her tone suggested what exactly she thought about that, and Ilsa had to bite back a smile. 

“That’s alright, Grandma. Ethan and I are fine where we are.”

Her grandmother leaned closer and gave her a playful wink. “He sure seems like he can dance, your Ethan.”

“Mother, really!” Marianne said, sounding put off by her mother’s insinuation.

“Oh, woman up, Marianne! Ilsa knows what I mean.”

Ilsa just laughed. “He sure can dance,” she agreed, glancing back towards the dancefloor, where Ethan was swinging around a laughing Leah. She smiled, happy they got along so well. 

“I also see you are wearing our necklace. Oh, and Lilly’s bracelet! How lovely!”

“Of course, I am! I love it, really. Thank you again,” Ilsa said, turning to both her grandparents, as well as her aunt. 

“It looks fantastic on you, love.” Her aunt said a gentle smile on her face.

Out of the corner of her eyes, Ilsa could see Jeremy’s friend, David, slowly creep closer in her direction, thinking he was being subtle. She suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and instead continued chatting with her family, trying her best to ignore him. 

A minute later, however, he seemed to have gotten over his initial hesitation and made a beeline for Ilsa. “Hey,” he said, rudely interrupting Ilsa’s grandfather in the middle of his story. 

Ilsa raised an eyebrow and turned to face him. “Hello.”

“I’m David,” he said and reached for her hand. 

“I know,” Ilsa said, evading his hand to grab a hold of her glass.

“I’d like to dance with you. I’ve been watching you all evening and I have to admit, you’re smoking hot.”

Ilsa’s other eyebrow joined the first almost at her hairline. Beside her, her grandfather sputtered in indignation.

“I can’t really say that’s a compliment, Daniel.”

“It’s David.”

“Right.”

Brian cackled quietly, settling in to enjoy the show.

“What do you mean, that’s not a compliment? I just told you you’re hot.”

“So I heard. I have to tell you, however, that’s not really what a girl wants to hear from a guy she doesn’t know, Daniel.”

“It’s David, I just told you. You know me, I’ve been watching you all evening.”

“And that’s another thing no girl wants to hear a bloke say, do you know why?”

He shook his head, eyebrows once again furrowed. 

“Because it’s creepy and suggests the behavior of a stalker.”

“I’m no stalker. Will you dance with me now, or what?”

“No, thank you.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Oh, so many reasons, most of which I just listed.”

“Fuck that, I asked you nicely for a dance, you owe me one now!” He insisted and grabbed her arm, intending to pull her with him.

Before he could blink, Ilsa had easily pried his hand off her arm and twisted his hand over into an unnatural angle. He yelled and sank to his knees. “What the fuck, you bitch!” David screamed, his voice strained with pain. 

Ilsa’s eyes narrowed and in one smooth move, she grabbed hold of his head and brought her knee up. The crack, as his nose collided with her kneecap, was lost in the volume of the music, but his scream of agony was not. 

Ilsa released his hand and he fell back against the floor, holding his bleeding nose. 

Nearby guests looked over in concern and intrigue, whispering as they saw the young man bleeding and sobbing on the floor. 

Beside Ilsa, Brian whooped and cheered. “Next time, show women some respect and you might even get a dance without getting your ass kicked first,” he told the writhing man on the floor.

A moment later, Jeremy showed up at the scene. He groaned as he saw David on the floor, Ilsa towering over him, a deadly look on her face. He turned to her with a sigh. “What did he do now?” He sounded resigned. “Whatever it was, I’m so sorry, and I’m sure he deserved that.” Jeremy vaguely motioned to his friend’s bleeding nose. 

“He tried to manhandle my granddaughter and insulted her!” Ilsa grandfather stated, almost shaking with anger. Ilsa settled a calming hand on his shoulder. 

“It’s okay, gramps. This isn’t the first time I’ve had to deal with idiotic men who thought they had a right to me.”

Her grandfather’s face fell at the insinuation and Ilsa cursed herself inwardly. “It’s fine, really!” She hurried to reassure him. “I can take care of myself, I promise.” 

He nodded, a small, proud smile starting to appear on his face. “So I saw.”

“I’m really sorry again, Ilsa,” Jeremy said, having lifted his whining and glaring friend against his shoulder. “I’ll see to it that he won’t disturb you again.”

Ilsa waved him off. “It’s okay, Jeremy. I’m sorry I caused a scene.”

“Oh please, that wasn’t your fault. Please don’t feel bad about it!” He reassured her and moved to shuffle his friend into the nearest bathroom. Or an ambulance.

“Looks like we missed quite the show,” Ethan said, a half-grin tugging on his lips, as he and Leah returned from the dancefloor. 

“Just the usual.” 

“What, you kicking men’s asses?”

“Yes.”

“I’m sad I missed it. I love watching you do that.” 

“I know you do.” 

“You lot, I swear,” Leah interrupted their flirting, fanning herself again jokingly. 

“You’re okay, though?” Ethan asked quietly, seriously, stepping closer to her to take a look at her wrist, where David had grabbed her. It was slightly red, but would likely not bruise. 

Ilsa nodded and kissed him lightly, whispering, “I’m okay. He‘s way worse off.“

“I’m sure he is. Shows him not to mess with you. Or anyone else.” Ethan sounded so proud of her, it almost made her blush again. Almost. 

“May I have this dance, then?” He asked, having reassured himself that she was indeed okay. 

“You? Always.”

Ilsa’s family watched as she was lead onto the dance floor, smiles on their faces.

 

*

 

Hours later, after most of the guests had already left to fall into their beds, the family and closest friends still lingered, hesitant to end the night just yet. 

“I saw how you handled David,” Ava suddenly said, not looking at her sister, but remaining focused on the drink in her hand. Everyone fell silent and turned towards the sisters. “He can be a real arse, especially when he’s drunk,” she admitted, shooting a long-suffering look towards her husband. He winced but eventually agreed with a small nod. 

“Has he ever-” Ilsa started, but Ava hurried to reassure her. 

“No, no. Apparently, he knows better than to mess with Jeremy, and knows that I’m off limit.”

“That really shouldn’t be the only reason to not mess with you,” Ilsa growled, and Jeremy shuffled in his seat, slightly intimidated by his sister-in-law. 

Ava gave her a small smile. “I’m hoping you got it into his thick skull, how not to treat women.”

“The broken nose should be a nice reminder for a good long while,” Brian laughed. 

“Usually, I would tell you not to be so happy about another person’s pain,” his mother said with a slight smile, “but in this case, I can’t help but agree.”

“He can call himself lucky Ilsa didn’t use her killer thigh move on him,” Ethan quipped and Ilsa swatted his arm. 

“That sounds fascinating, what’s the killer thigh move?” Leah asked at once, leaning forward in interest.

“It’s a move she does, where she claws her way onto these big guys like a cat and whips them down with her legs. It’s a sight to behold.” Ethan explained, and Leah exclaimed at once, “Oh my Gods, I need to see that!”

“Not in this dress, you won’t,” Ilsa stated drily. 

“If it rips, I’ll buy you a new one,” Leah promised and Ilsa chuckled. 

“No, you won’t.”

“Nah, I won’t,” Leah agreed. 

“You will teach me some self-defense moves the next time you’re in town, won’t you?” Ava asked, looking at her sister hopefully. 

“Of course I will, what kind of sister do you take me for?” Ilsa said, giving Ava’s shoulder a gentle nudge. Ava smiled at her, relieved. 

“When will you be back?” Marianne suddenly asked, and Ilsa looked at her mother. She shrugged. 

“I can’t tell you for sure, and I won’t make any promises since I never know where I’ll be sent next or for how long. But I’ll try to come back sooner this time.”

“You better,” her father said, a little gruffly, but Ilsa took it for what it was - the only thing close to an apology and acceptance she would ever get from him. She nodded again, letting him know that she understood. 

“On that note, it’s time for us to call it a night,” Ilsa announced and got up, Ethan following her example at once, as in tune with her as always. “We have a long flight ahead of us tomorrow evening and we should probably catch up on some sleep.”

Leah cackled. “Sleep, my ass.”

“Shut up, Leah,” Ilsa joked. 

“Never,” she sang, then started laughing. “I’m just glad I’m not sharing a wall with you two.”

Brian groaned. “Leah, please, none of us need any of those mental images.” 

Everybody nodded in agreement. 

Leah just shrugged. “I don’t mind them at all, to be honest.”

Ilsa shoved her arm and then leaned down to grab her clutch. “We’ll be leaving now before you scar all of us even further.”

“Sure, sure. Who am I to stop you. Have  _ fun _ .”

Brian closed his eyes and sighed. “You’re evil,” he whispered. 

“And that’s news to you how exactly?”

Ilsa chuckled at her friend’s antics. “Good night, everybody. Ava, Jeremy, it was a lovely party. All the best for you two.” 

“Thank you, Ilsa, Ethan,” they said as one, hands clasped together. 

“Will we see you for brunch tomorrow? Or...later today?” Lilly asked, getting up to hug her niece. 

“We’ll see,” Ilsa said, not making any promises. 

Lilly nodded. “Well, in case we won’t get to see you again, have a safe flight back and don’t be strangers, both of you.”

“It was a pleasure to meet all of you,” Ethan said, smiling. “Thank you for having me.” 

“You’re always welcome here, dear,” Ilsa’s grandmother said, squeezing his hands gently. 

They said their goodbyes, Ilsa hugging her family warmly, before the two of them made it outside into the chilly September night to head back to the hotel. 

“This was nice, wasn’t it?” Ethan asked, his hand reaching out to tangle with hers.

“It did turn out better than expected,” Ilsa admitted. “Even if I had to break a nose in the process.”

Ethan laughed. “I’m still sad I missed it.”

“You get to see me throw punches almost on a daily basis, what are you complaining about?”

“I can never get enough of seeing you kick ass, it’s a huge part of your appeal,” he teased, a goofy grin twitching at his lips. 

“Do you have a kink I don’t know about yet, Ethan, baby?”

“My kink is strong women,” he said, just as they had reached their car. He held the door open for her, but she stopped and turned towards him before she slid inside.

“I thought it might be,” Ilsa whispered, leaning close to him, her breath feathering over his lips. 

He licked his lips and leaned further into her, pressing a heated kiss against her willing mouth. 

They stayed locked in their kiss for a moment longer until Ilsa wrenched her mouth away from his with a gasp. 

“Let’s continue this somewhere more private. Like our hotel room.”

“I love you and your clever ideas.”

Ilsa froze for a second and so did he, as soon as he realized what he had just said.

“Do you?” She whispered, eyes searching his face. 

“I do,” he murmured back, nothing but honesty in his expression

“Good,” she said, and pressed another quick kiss against his lips, before slipping inside the car. “Take me to bed, love.”

Who was he to resist such a request?

 

~fin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to shutupmulder for being the best one person cheering squad a girl could ask for! She convinced me to keep writing this when I whined at her about it being crap. So, thanks girl! <3


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